A test or measurement instrument is a device that collects data from a system being tested or measured and that may also analyze and process the data collected. These devices may be stand-alone or connected together to form a network of test and measurement instrumentation. Data acquisition (DAQ) systems and data loggers receive signals from test and measurement instrumentation and store the information from the signals in memory over time. By recording the information from the different signals organized according to each signal source and the time recorded, changes in the measured properties of the system can be observed and analyzed. This recordation may be automatically programmed using a scan setup to acquire specifically sequenced signal data over time.
Conventional DAQ systems utilize block diagrams and flow charts in their user interfaces to virtually depict the test and measurement device architecture, programming sequence, or scan progress in a general sense. These previous systems, however, lack in usability, with respect to ease and efficiency, and in clarity, with respect to specific instrument tasks and configuration.
Embodiments of the invention address these and other deficiencies in conventional systems.